When Darkness Falls
by My Thyla My Captain
Summary: Powerless and injured, Loki is banished to Earth for his crimes to live as a mortal. When he is taken in by a softspoken librarian, he doesn't know how his life could get much worse. That is, until a new threat arises, promising Earths destruction, and the Avengers are forced to ask for his help. LokixOC HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
1. Fallen from Grace

Hey Guys!

Just watched Thor so I now have a better grasp on his character. Hope you guys don't flame me for this story...

This is new ground for me, and my first chapters usually suck. But after the first chapter, I've been told I get better. I just really suck at openers.

I got the inspiration for this when I ate a bean burrito. Yeah...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters from MARVEL, but I do own my OC's.

* * *

Whenever it was a full moon she decided to sleep in the bed of her Toyota, as she did with her father as a child, gazing into the stars until she fell asleep. So at first she thought she was dreaming; the night had been quiet, so when she was startled into awareness by the thunderous crack of lightening, she thought it off as a fallacy._ 'No, it's just a dream.'_ She thought, hazily seeing a blinding blue aura funnel itself like a tornado in the dark a few miles off, the screeching boom of thunder careening overhead. '_Yep. A dream.'_

She had had stranger dreams; once, she dreamt that she was being chased by a killer florescent pink bunny, which inevitably turned into a goldfish when she slayed a green troll. Her dreams never made sense, so she wasn't going to start deciphering them now. With that thought she placed her head back onto her pillow and started to drift into unconsciousness.

That was, at least, until she heard the pitiful moan of pain emanating somewhere nearby.

Opening her eyes once more, she found the aura and swiveling shadows gone from the sky, taking the thunder with it. She was puzzled, for she was now battling if what she saw was in fact reality. _'No… no it ca-'_ she was drawn from her ravine once again by the sounds of shuffling cloth and the cry of agony. Draylyn stiffened, clutching her nickel plated flashlight for dear life.

_'Great. Good goin', Dray. Seen enough horror movies to know how this is gonna end up for ya.'_ She thought, cursing herself silently in the dark. The cries eventually softened until they stopped completely, yet she still couldn't compel herself to move; no, perhaps this person just wanted her to reveal herself so they could do her in. She gulped, unmoving from the lining of her truck except for the small rise and fall of her chest.

"H-help… Father..." the voice begged barely over a murmur, and Dray was surprised she could actually hear it. Before she could think through her actions she stood up, flicking the switch that allowed a ray of light to bust from the contraption she held in her sweaty palm to the origin of the sound. She gasped in horror of the sight, her free hand instinctively bolting up to cover her mouth, her digits trembling.

She leapt from the back of her Tacoma and raced toward the man that lay in the middle of the road, who had curled into a tight ball to conceal an injury. Her heart pounded in her ears as she approached him, growing more and more cautious as she grew nearer. She fell to her knees by his side, the flashlight trembling in her grasp. Crimson glinted off the rough asphalt, becoming a river as the hill descended.

"O-oh my god…" she whispered hoarsely, taking her free hand to unsteadily touch his shoulder, the man upon the ground recoiling back from the contact. Immediately she retracted her touch, unsure of what to do. "S-sir? Sir, are you okay?"

_'No, Dray. He's just peachy. Can't you tell by the way he's twisting in pain?' _she cursed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She thought of everything she had learned in books of how to care for someone in critical condition, but in the heat of the moment, she came up blank. After a few more moments, he stopped fighting, falling unconscious. Tears sprouting to her eyes, she sat in a state of shock as the man continued to bleed

_'Stop the bleeding.'_ The thought finally split through her manic haze and she immediately began to strip her shirt from her body, laying the man on his back. The limpness of his body scared her, but she thrusted the thought from her mind. "Don't die on me, okay?" she was amazed by calmness of her voice, balling the t-shirt and pressing down on the wound with it.

_'Call 9-1-1.'_ She thought next, taking a bloodied hand to dig in her pocket for her phone. She flipped it open, red smearing on the buttons and screen as she did so. She was about to press 'Send' when she remembered she lived in the rural country side, a good fifty minute wait until the ambulance would arrive.

_'Call Natalie!'_ the thought hadn't even donned on her that her best friend, who lived with her to save money, was a practicing nurse. She'd know what to do!

She couldn't leave the man, so she frantically called her friend's cell phone, which she always kep on loud and directly next to her. The phone rung until she heard the lazy reply of, "Hello?" The words flew from Draylyn's mouth in a tizzy, and she heard Natalie yawn. "Okay you found what? And why should I care at three in the morning? And why are you calling me? You could just walk inside you lazy a-"

"Natalie, listen to me!" she shouted, pressing the phone between her shoulder and her ear. "I have a guy wounded in the middle of the street, now get your butt out here and help me before he dies!" There was silence on the phone, and then a crash as Natalie dropped the phone and Dray could hear her distant profanities as she was searching for something.

A few moments later, the brunette came crashing from the door way with her own flashlight and a first aid kit. Within seconds she backed away as Natalie cut off his singed shirt and began to stunt the bleeding, revealing for the first time the damage that had been dealt.

A deep gash tore its way across his pale torso, the blood tainting his skin with gore. Rosy lines spread out like lightening on his body, starting at the nape of his neck to his abdomen. Draylyn had his head in her lap while Natalie bandaged his wounds. Natalie looked at her sternly.

"We need to get him to a hospital. It was a good thing you started to stop the bleeding when you did, or this guy'd be dead." she felt his wrist for a pulse. "His pulse is really strong, which is strange for someone who sustained these kinds of injuries. He's… well… oddly stable." She mused more to herself than to Dray.

"Should we get him inside the house, or what?" Draylyn asked, not daring to peer down to the man. She had always been queasy of blood since she was little, but had only gotten over her fear of the substance for this short period of time in her haste to save the man's life. Now, with the copper smell filling her nostrils, she thought she'd be sick.

Natalie nodded. "It's not safe for him to be out here. Let's get him inside and I'll call 9-1-1." With that the two girls lifted the man, surprised by his weight due to the lankiness of his body. The two hastily carried him into the narrow passageway, left open in the brunette's haste, and placed him on the worn sofa in the confined living area. After cleaning up the blood, Natalie left Dray alone to watch over him to call the hospital.

Dray watched as the man lay unmoving on the couch, his black, shoulder-length hair contrasting drastically with his pale skin. She heard Natalie talking to the police in the kitchen, but she didn't pay mind to it. She scanned his body for any other injuries, but came up blank. She wondered of the origins of the red lines that vined around his body, and what this guy had gotten into before she found him. She also tried to dismiss how handsome he was in light of the situation, and found herself forcing her eyes to be cast down.

"What happened to you?" she thought, not yet realizing that the God of Mischief and Lies lay powerless before her, and that her life was about to spiral into a place she never thought possible.

* * *

Hehe...

Okay, well... Please leave a review and keep on reading. :P

Your fellow Fanfictioner,

~ILJA~


	2. Threats, Doctors, and Crop Circles

I got the inspiration for this when I ate a bean burrito. Yeah...

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters from MARVEL, but I do own my OC's.

* * *

"They're on their way." Natalie reported, waltzing back into the room. At a mere height of 5 foot and with one of the prettiest faces you'd ever seen, most wouldn't find the brunette threatening in anyway. That was, at least, until she spoke and her sailors tongue whizzed past you in flying colors, revealing one of the hottest tempers many had ever known.

Most were surprised by the close friendship between the up and coming nurse and the shy librarian; Natalie enjoyed the excitements in life, while Draylyn found excitement in books and movies. 'Opposites attract.' Many would joke, but that truly was the case here. Other than the darkness of their hair - Dray with her midnight curls and Natalie with her dark chestnut locks - they were polar opposites. Dray's eyes were a perfect golden-hazel; Natalie's were an electric blue. Draylyn paled in comparison to her sunkist friend, and towered over Natalie at a whopping 5' 8".

"Th-that's good…"Dray was able to breathe out, propping her elbows on her knees to watch the man intently. There was something oddly mesmerizing about the way this guy made everything seem so important, regal almost, even in unconsciousness. The steady rise and fall of his bare chest kept her glued to the spot, as if at any moment the movement would halt and she'd be thrown into that frenzied state once more. She shivered, hating to think of the fear course through her veins again, the abhorrent thought of being too late…

"Yo, chika!" Natalie called mockingly, waving an agitated hand a mere two inches from Dray's face, snapping her out from her ravine. She blushed a deep crimson as she realized she was staring at the male sprawled in front of her on the worn, brown sofa. "Girl, I hope you know that that dude'd be freaked out if he woke up and saw you stalking him in his sleep. And put on a shirt! You know how creeped I get when you walk around half naked." Natalie suppressed a false shutter. Draylyn yipped as she looked down at her magenta polka-dotted bra, realizing only then that she had stripped her shirt to discontinue the pooling blood from the gaping wound that ripped itself across his upper body.

"I-I'm not half naked..." Draylyn murmured. She frantically tried in a futile attempt to cover her exposed skin with her hands while her friend laughed.

"Well, seeing as though I don't see a wedding ring and adding to the fact that I'd really hope a guy who looked like this wasn't fruity, he'd be waking up in his own little paradise if he saw you now. Well, except, you know… Without the blood all over ya." Dray scowled in the direction of Natalie, whose mind always seemed to be in the gutter. Draylyn, being the ugly duckling in her youth, had never grown to the fact that she truly was beautiful now and only saw the dorky, awkward teenager whenever she looked in the mirror. That, along with the fact that she knew nothing about being seductive, made her cringe away from 'relations with males' and the baby making that followed soon after the beginning of the relationship (Which, to her dismay, she had learned all too well from Natalie).

"Wh-why didn't you tell me earlier?" she mumbled, getting up to walk down the short corridor to the flimsy, wooden door to the left that she resided in. Again, she heard her best friend's chipper laugher.

"Oh I'm sorry. I was a lil busy saving your boyfriends life over here." She replied, looking down at the pale bloke that lay unconscious on the couch_. 'Wouldn't mind slicing myself a piece of that cake.'_ She though with a smile.

"And how could you be so calm about this? Just twenty minutes ago, this guy was dying on the street and now he's fine. Don't you find that a bit odd? You know, that he seems just to be sleeping and not, oh I don't know, convulsing in pain?" Dray ranted, pulling a navy Polo over her head and smoothing it onto her frame. She then resumed changing her blood stained pajama bottoms for her khaki jeans.

"Eh… I dunno. Just wait for the E.M.T.'s to arrive and they'll tell us if he's in shock or something." She said dully, sitting on the recliner across the room from the gentleman.

"How on earth are you ever gonna be a nurse if you're gonna have an attitude like that?" Dray wondered aloud, shuttering at the thought of some poor sap being in Natalie's care. 'It's just a heart attack, you'll be fine.' She shook her head.

Walking into the bathroom, she could finally see what her friend meant. Dry blood had caked itself on her forehead and cheek, her arms tinged pink from the gore. Crimson crusted itself beneath her fingers and she resisted the urge to vomit, dry heaving as she turned the faucet. She forced herself to look away as she thrusted her arms beneath the flowing water, the ruby substance quickly filing down the drain. She then hurried herself to the rack of miscellaneously colored wash cloths and found a dark violet cloth. In her horrid attempt to not witness any more gore, she resisted the urge to peer into the mirror as she let the fabric grow saturated beneath the water. She quickly wrenched out the excess water and began to dab away at the blood, breathing solely from her mouth.

When she finished, she wiped her damp limbs with a towel and sighed. "Hey, how much longer before the E.M.T's are gonna be here?" she called with no reply. "Great..." Dray muttered, closing her bathroom door as she exited. "She's probably knocked out on th-" Her thoughts were cut short as she walked into the living room.

There, standing in his shirtless glory, was the man who once lay unconscious on her couch, throttling Natalie with a pale arm and suspending her a good foot off the ground. With the vice grip that wrapped itself around her throat, the brunette couldn't even mutter a strangled noise. Her vibrant blue eyes were fixated on the man in front of her, fear all to plain in them.

Unsure of where this notion sprawled from, Dray bounded her way into the kitchen, fetched a Miller, and ran back in, smashing the bottle clear across the back of his head. Natalie was dropped into the shards of glass at her feet and Draylyn frantically took a step back as she watched the muscles move in his toned back as his arm fell back to his side. She was all too aware of her friend's frantic gasps for air as his head slowly snaked to look behind him, his jade eyes pinning her to the spot with their intense ferocity. A feral smirk slithered its way onto his lips as he turned to Draylyn, all but forgetting the brunette that lay breathless behind him.

"What you did was foolish." He rumbled menacingly, stepping onto the glass with bare feet to move closer to her. She was shocked when he didn't seem to show the slightest bit of pain and screamed, running down the corridor to escape from him, only to be caught pinned to the wall. She exclaimed as the brash movement was dealt, his head craning down to look at her in the eyes, that coy smile gone from his lips only to be replaced by a wild sneer.

"P-please… Don't hurt me…" Dray whispered hoarsely and a growl crawled up his throat. The words that would come next shocked her.

"I find no pleasure in harming a weak, petty mortal like you. I have better things to do than torture a mindless little animal. Now if you cooperate, I-" a hiss escaped his lips as he cringed, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth as he wheezed out a gurgling breath. The anger escaped from his eyes and left only those of a frightened and harmed child, this fact taking Draylyn aback. The words passed her lips before she could think them through.

"You're hurt… d-don't strain yourself." She whispered, and she could tell by the flicker in his eyes that he, too, was taken back by her sincere words of comfort and worry. In a moment they hardened, and the immovable grip weaved its way around her throat.

"I have no time for your pi-" this time he was stopped again, but now he lay unconscious in front of her, Dray whispering a sigh of relief as she filled her lungs with air. Natalie stood with a baseball bat clutched in her hands, sneering down at the man on the floor.

"Why do all the hot guys have to be nut jobs?" she muttered, honestly depressed. Dray could only roll her eyes in disbelief.

"So this guy tries to kill us, and the first words outta your mouth is about how hot he is? Not, 'Oh thanks, Dray, for saving my life. You okay?' Really?" Dray spat, rubbing her throat. Natalie only wheezed a laugh.

"Eh, not everyone can be a saint like you, Collins." She smirked, kicking the man gently with her foot. When he made no attempt to get up again, she looked sternly back to Draylyn. "Are you okay though?" Natalie may be many things, but deep down, she was a very caring person.

"Yeah… you?" Dray asked, noticing the faint shadow of a bruise that began to blossom on her neck. Natalie chuckled.

"I've had worse first dates."

* * *

Fury read the papers that exposed themselves from the thick manila folder, his brow furrowing in worry. Six months had passed since the invasion, and Manhattan had nearly rebuilt itself, the Avengers left to do what they wished until the world needed them again. But, with this new information, something was brewing on the opposite side of the galaxy and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Call Stark." He muttered absently to an agent who stood watch by the door. The monitor widened in front of him as the pending screen flashed. Tony appeared on the screen a few moments later.

"Hello, you have reached the life-"

"Stark, this is important." He cut off, Tony rolling his eyes with agitation.

"Everything is important if you use a voice like that." He said sarcastically, watching the one eyed man glare back, unamused. He sighed. "What now, Fury?" he asked, curiosity growing in his voice.

"We need to assemble the Avengers." He muttered, an expressionless fascade covering worry in their minds.

The E.M.T's arrived shortly after and they took both the man and Natalie to the hospital for their injuries. They had a police car escort Draylyn to the hospital on account of the ambulance being crowded and her injuries being so minor. When Draylyn finally met up with her counterpart once again, Natalie was found flirting with one of the medical personnel. Glad to see her friend alright she smiled, walking to the side of her cot.

After telling the head doctor what had happened, he stood back and thought. "Well," he began, "Due to his injuries, he probably wasn't in his right mind, so I wouldn't take offense to what he did. It's a miracle, though, that he had even survived an incident such as this, let alone have the brute strength to attack you." After piddling around the subject, Dray was finally forced to ask.

"So… What's going to happen to him? Is he alright?" she asked nervously biting her lip. The doctor shrugged.

"He's in fairly well condition, but he does have a punctured lung and four broken ribs, along with the blows to the head and the glass in his feet he received from you two. He's… well… actually stable at the moment, which is strange, and so we are going to put him into surgery. We do think that he will make a full recovery though." He said with a hopeful grin, and Dray really hoped he wasn't just saying that to keep their hopes up.

"Well… Thanks Dr. Taylor." Dray was able to say before he was whisked away by a nurse.

"Well, good news for me is that they're keepin' me here. They say I have a bruised trachea and have a hairline fracture in my shoulder." Natalie proclaimed tiredly, and Dray looked to her incredulously.

"How on earth is that a good thing?" Draylyn exclaimed, face palming.

"Well, the medical treatments gonna suck, but at least there's hot doctors here." She smiled, flexing her fingers. In a few more minutes Natalie fell asleep, and Dray realized only then how truly fatigued she was. With a yawn, she dozed off in the arm chair that rested by her friend's side, drifting into sweet oblivion as the sun began to peek through the sterile, white blinds of the hospital room.

* * *

"I'm telling you! Some punk and his friends came into my field last night, causing a raucous, and now I'm left with this creepy… thing in my field! I'm telling you, it's Satanic. Either that or it was an alien trying to make contact with me… No, no, no! I'm not making this up! Call the police? Nah… They wouldn't believe me. Okay… yep. Bye Rufus." Carver Edlund hung up the phone, standing in a burnt patch of his cornfield, cursing as he examined the foreign symbols inside of the perfect crop circle, wondering what or who had created it.

* * *

_**Okay, so how was it?**_

_**Anyone can review, so please do so! Reviews help the brain juices flow, and I'd love to get some comments about how I'm doing. Or, PM me and we could brainstorm cuz at this point, I'm not really sure what's going to happen next. :P**_

_**My goal is 5 reviews for this chappie (Seeing as though I got five for my first chapter).**_

_**Your fellow fanfictioner,**_

_**~ILJA~**_


	3. Hospitals

_"What do you mean we're breaking up?"_

_"I really thought that was self-explanatory, Ashley. I mean, and read my lips; I'm sick of your needy, clingy ways. Not to mention the fact that you're a creep."_

_"A creep? A CREEP? I'll show you a creep, you mother fu-"_

"Dear God! Shut this trash off!" Draylyn muttered groggily, rubbing her eyes to try and coax the sleep from them.

She had had the strangest dream; she had been falling through a vortex, the cyclone a whirring rainbow of colors that stretched and thrashed her body around like a rag doll. Thunder boomed like an explosion for her ears alone, the full force threatening to make her deaf. She was struck by a bleached flash as she extended her limbs to grab something further in the twister, blinding her for several moments as a pain unlike any other ripped through her chest and blossomed into an explosion of agony that ravaged her entire being. Her screams were lost amongst the screeching winds and thunderous explosions. Blindly, she still searched, her body flipping and careening out of control until she finally found the object she had been tracking and opened her eyes, only to find – a horrible teen angst movie blaring in the confined hospital room, ripping her from her dream.

Natalie shushed her, batting the air frantically in a feeble attempt to keep the ebony haired girl from talking. Dray rolled her eyes lazily as the brunette watched the tiny monitor mounted upon the sky blue wall. "Come on, Nat. This movie sucks."

"Shut up!" she yipped, her eyes growing wide in anticipation, jumping at the gunshot and the (highly dramatic, Dray might add) scream that followed. Hazel orbs rolled in their sockets once again as Natalie began to scream hoarsely at the monitor.

"Why do you keep watching this movie? It's not worth the time of day. The ending's predictable, and-" The realization finally hit her as she face palmed in her utter stupidity. "There was an intimate scene, wasn't there?"

"Woke up, and all I saw was half-naked perfection. Come on, you gotta admit he's a stud. I mean, look at how you can see his abs through his shirt! You totally missed out, 'cause he took off his shirt, and-" it was about this point Dray decided to ignore her friend's rant, choosing instead to study the room (anything to drone out the terrible acting and her friend's own dirty code she always seemed to be speaking…).

After her mom had been admitted to rehab (once again… she didn't speak about it much) when she was six, she had gotten a serious case of pneumonia and had been admitted into the hospital. While her dad had to go to work miles away in Milwaukee as a dean over a correctional facility, she was left alone in the company of a male nurse named Charles Benson. He was middle-aged with thinning grey hair, but had the soul and spirit of a child, making her boring stays at the hospital less tedious. She found herself landed in this situation many of times, being admitted into the hospital at least three times every year since she was five.

He was the one who had grown her love for reading and knowledge and always seemed to be cheerful. She had always looked up to him, but always failed to be as outgoing and witty, never having the courage to cause attention to be on her. She could never seem to have that bright gleam in her eye the way Charles had in his deep, chocolaty irises.

She had always been admitted to the child's section of the infirmary, so the walls had been painted a sky blue, much like the one she was in now. Except, unlike now, the walls weren't splotched with white 'clouds' and didn't have a beaming, grinning sun that took up a quarter of the wall space. She sighed, remembering the sad day in which Benson had retired and moved to Florida to be closer to his children and grandchildren.

"And you didn't hear a word I just said, did you?" Natalie's voice cut through her trance, tugging her back to the present.

"Huh?"

"Yeah…thought so."

"Sorry, Nat…"

"Whatever. You were kinda freaking me out because you just started staring off into middle space, and I was totally expecting drool any second." Dray blushed as Natalie rasped a dry chuckle. "Thinking 'bout your boy friend, Collins?"

"H-he's not my boyfriend…you know that." She whispered with a shudder, knowing exactly who Natalie was addressing.

The Mardrek Public Library's manager, Bradley Austin, had had an obsession for Draylyn since she had first applied for the job. Three years older and with the body of a football player, many were surprised by his career choice, and many more were stunned to find out that Collins had actually refused to go on a date with him. The rejection only seemed to make him fall harder, while in the process, pushed her further away. She had made sure, for the past two years of working at the archive, that she was not a moment late, always worrying to spend even another moment with Bradley, especially alone.

"Not that one." Nat said with a grin, and Dray pondered until it finally clicked.

"No!" Draylyn exclaimed, which only fueled her friend's fire.

"Have you even checked up on him, Collins? You know, it's rude not to slap him for his inhospitable ways. I mean, nearly choke the two people who saved your life, who does that?" Natalie cried in a falsified voice of rage.

"Well I just woke up, and I fell asleep a lil' after you did, so I haven't had the time." Dray muttered, standing from the uncomfortable, wooden chair that had been her divan, and listened as every bone in her body popped from the stiff position. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to get the last of the kinks from her being, getting a loud popping noise from her neck in response. She shook out her hands as her head rolled from one side to the next. Natalie grunted a noise of frustration.

"Enough yoga, Collins. Go check on the nut case who did this-" pointing to the bruises that painted her neck in dark purple and navy splotches "-to me and hit him. That is, unless he really was momentarily crazed like the quacks say. In which case, apologize for me about hitting him in the brain with, well, ya know, a baseball bat."

* * *

His world was spinning as he opened his eyes, the blank, white ceiling burning his senses, his sight blurring into darkness around its edges as the imagery before him continued to move. He blinked once again, and then again, but the obscene pounding in his head wouldn't release him from its steely grip, making the world around him twirl, black smudges fogging his vision even further. He noticed instantly to the fact that he was restrained, but the effort to look upon his wrist and torso sent his world into a nauseating spiral, and he found himself forcing whatever he had eaten before his decent to stay contained in his stomach. He choked back the contents, finding all too quickly how painful that had become, the migraine in which he received not helping in the mounting agony in which he had been forced into.

In all truths, it reminded him of his pregnancy.

Through the ringing in his ears he could hear a continual, mechanical _'bleep'_ of a machine and whenever he moved, the beat slowly increased in tempo. Trying to keep his mind off of memories, nausea, and pain, he listened intently to the beeping sound, closing his eyes to keep a keener focus. He tried to yield a large intake of breath, but found that an impossible challenge; a horrid, burning sensation crept through his lungs, leaving him gasping.

_"Exile!"_

If the pluming pain in his chest hadn't forbid it, he would have screamed. The recollections in which he wished would remain silent came yelling at him, clawing their way into his primal focus to where even the concentration to breathe no longer mattered. The pain grew even grander, but his heart ached – somehow - even more, his eyes opening to his gyrating reality in a feeble attempt to keep the thoughts from forming pictures in his mind. His fists tightened into balls, restrained tightly at his sides.

He cursed these horrid contraptions; Loki wanted no more than to simply have his hands free to find a sharp object to skewer it through his skull.

* * *

Natasha laughed as the poisonous snake was dropped into her lap, the reptile slithering soundlessly along her silk-laden thigh. She knew it was a bluff; they needed her alive to get the secrets they so desperately craved, and they wouldn't dare use a serpent that still had its venom in its fangs, in the off chance the creature decided to bite. She could tell by the beads of sweat that covered their high, grimy foreheads that they hoped this would trigger fear into her heart, since the constant beatings didn't seem to be working. Natasha snickered inwardly but kept a cool façade, amused by this feeble attempt to arouse her terror.

The African heat burned intensely in the small grass hut, tiny rays of light peeking through to the dark floor, the woman almost unminding of the snake, but more intent of figuring what time of day it was. 'Since the shadow's cast-' Her thoughts were interrupted by a swift kick on the cheek that sent her jaw into a crunching mess as the chair tipped itself, along with Natasha and the cold-blooded animal, over, making a solid thump as she made contact with the dirt ground.

She coughed, a cloud of tan dust billowing around her face, her sweat-covered hair sticking to her forehead as she inhaled sharply from the brash action. The snake slithered past her face, hissing not at her, but in annoyance of the act as well.

'This guy's gonna get it.' She thought maliciously as he kept threatening at the top of his lungs about where the drop off was going to be. "Screw you." She muttered, and as if on cue, a barrage of gun shots rang out, and the men only had a moment to tell out in terror before bullets came flying through the thin, grassy sidings of the make-shift prison. Natasha tucked her head away from the action, shielding her eyes. In moments the kidnappers were pelted with dozens of rounds as they came crashing to their deaths, blood quickly soaking into the parched ground below. Once the firing stopped Natasha opened her eyes to find Barton in the flimsy doorway, his arrow poised for a new onslaught of terror. Once he and the team made sure the small space was secure, his eyes trailed to Natasha, a smirk on his lips.

*"Hey there, beautiful. Nice dress." He muttered sarcastically as the red silk dress she wore was covered in gore, dirt, and sweat, the fabric ripped severely in most places that made it hard to believe that the clothes she wore was once a luxurious gown. Natasha rolled her eyes.

"What took you so long? I was about to kill them both myself." She growled, slipping her hands easily from the rope restraints that were meant to confine her, getting up gracefully from the ground to tuck a dingy lock of hair behind her ear. Hawkeye laughed as they both walked back to the helicarrier.

"Well, we had to make a pit stop." He muttered darkly, noticing the black snake slither past his legs and back into the tall grass. She watched as well, noticing the darkening in his tone.

"What happened? Have we been compromised?" she asked wearily as the blades of the aircraft began to move silently, causing a huge dust storm, the grass around the helicarrier dancing unsteadily. The agents both shielded their eyes from the tiny grains that buzzed around their heads as the back hatch slowly opened to reveal Steve and Tony sitting across from each other, both having their arms crossed tightly across their chests, neither speaking. Both men watched as two men with fire arms loaded first, and then the assassins quickly after. The aircraft was already taking off before the hatch was completely sealed.

The tension was felt in the air as they sat in silence, which was odd considering Stark was there. Hawkeye and the Black Widow stared uncomfortably at each other as Steve cleared his throat. Tony snaked his eyes over to Natasha and Barton. His brow rose.

"Well… nice dre-"

"Shut up, Stark. Now what possessed you to come all the way over to Africa, hmm?" Natasha snapped as a fake look of hurt passed Tony's features.

"Can't I just come visit a few friends, who must be suffering in this kind of heat?" he asked flippantly, none of the passengers buying the charade. Rogers glared at Stark, his gaze unwavering. Tony sighed, his voice turning serious.

"We gotta problem."

* * *

"Thank you." Draylyn replied after a nurse had directed her toward his room, walking swiftly down the hall and to the elevator. 'Okay… room 208 in the east wing, fifth floor.' She kept repeating mentally as she pressed the plastic button, the object illuminating as she watched the green digital numbers above the metal doors. When it had finally reached the correct level the portal opened with a _'ding'_, revealing only a woman with pink carnations and a balloon to be her companion. Dray stepped in with a smile and a small nod.

The two traveled in silence as they ascended, the woman getting out at level three, leaving her alone with her thoughts for two more levels. Dray sighed, not knowing of what she was to find on the hospital gurney. "Well…" she coaxed to herself, leaning against the metal hand railing. "The doctor said he was awake." If he was already awake, that meant he had to be, even fractionally, alright, right? She stopped thinking when the elevator lurched to a halt, the doors pinging open as she stepped from the passageway.

"208... 208… 208…" she kept muttering to herself, passing doctors and nurses that went on with their busy schedules, oblivious to the girl who roamed the hall. She finally reached the room in which she had been on the hunt for and knocked quietly on the door, peeping her head quietly inside. Unlike Natalie's room, this room was stark white and the lights were off. Curious, she walked into the room, flipping the pale switch and the bright lights bounced off of the color, blinding her momentarily. She heard a hiss emanate from a chair in the corner, and she looked on in shock, her hands frozen to the light switch.

* * *

Woot! Imma done!

Gotta thank my... well I consider her a pal now. Gotta thank my pal IronBell for being my beta for this. SHe helped me alot.

Thanks, and please leave a review!

Im rooting for another 5 reviews guys. Make my day?

~ILJA~


	4. Escape

"D-don't do that!" she was able to exclaim, watching as he ripped the iv's from the back of his hands, listening to the sticky tear as the clear medical tape was abruptly removed from his pale skin. She listened as the heart rate monitor flat-lined as he removed the detectors with an air of annoyance, throwing the supplies hastily to the linen covered cot. His head whipped around as he heard her voice her concern, those beautiful jade orbs staring into her soul like daggers.

"If you wish to proceed to try and state what I can and cannot do," he muttered maliciously, stunting the small stream of blood that exited the pin-prick on the back of his hand with the beige coverlet, "Then be prepared for my wrath." The comment probably would have been more menacing if the one stating the remark hadn't been in a baby blue hospital gown.

"I-I was just concerned for your well being." She whispered, getting a snide growl in response.

"I need not the worthless concern of a petty creature like you." He hissed, seemingly insulted by her statement. She couldn't see why he would take offense; it was an innocent gesture of humanity. Not to mention the guy almost died in front of her just a few hours before, and now was strutting around the chamber like a king, but somehow expected her not to be freaked out by his lack of… well… near death-ness.

"I-I'm sorry…" Dray whispered in awe as he moved gracefully across the white speckled tile floor in search of something. She watched as his thin, long fingers groped the wall for support, moving in reflex to give out her hand. She immediately retracted her provision when she saw the feral sneer that crossed his features. "Y-your hurt… please… lay down. Th-the IV should help your pain…" She said wearily as he swayed the slightest bit on his feet, but forced herself to stay where she stood. Even in his current state she was afraid of him; if he could attack her when he was so close to death before, what would stop him from doing it now?

"You mean that pathetic excuse for medication? Never again… it rather made the mind blurred than the pain." He muttered darkly, his eyes casting down for only a fraction of a second as he came crashing to his knees and fore arm, his dark locks thrusting before his face to veil it. As his body met with the floor, she could have sworn he had slurred a name, but she couldn't quite make out his words.

Against her better judgment she raced to his side, kneeling beside him to assess the damage. But as she extended her digits to his linen coveted shoulder she found a pale hand grasp her wrist all too tightly, twisting it away from him. Draylyn yelped in both shock and pain, falling back as he looked up to her with those beautiful orbs. This time, though, they held no anger or hostility; the eyes that peered back at her were that of a man with a broken soul and heart.

But then he began to scream.

The sound was so guttural and ear piercingly violent that she began to shriek as well, toppling back as his hands tore at the side of his head, raking his pale skin with scratch marks too dark in light of what they should have been. Without thinking she sprang up, tripping over her feet to catch herself on the wall, the yell ringing so painfully loud in her ears that she didn't hear the smash as she crashed into it. Her feet kept moving in a feeble attempt for traction as she launched herself at the door. She heard at least five pairs of footsteps racing toward the room before she opened the door and bolted out, flying past the doctors and nurses as they barreled into the chamber. She didn't register that the screaming had stopped until she had reached the end of the now vacant hall. Her Converses' squeaked in protest against the polished floor when she stopped, finally getting ahold of herself.

What just happened?

When she looked back the medical team was funneling from the room, anxious and confused looks masking their faces. Her rushed breathing and heartbeat pounded in her ears as a male nurse lifted his dark finger in her direction, his companions whipping their heads to stare at her. "Miss!" they shouted in unison as they trotted to her side, Draylyn unable to pull herself away from their swarms of questions. Dray looked around in confusion as their words fused and became incomprehensible noise. Only one sentence rang out above the rest, but it was the most shocking of them all.

"Where is the patient?"

A look of confusion and shock crossed her features as the four adults ceased their inquiries, waiting for her inevitable response. She looked at them incredulously. "What do you mean, where is he? He was on the floor!" The nurses looked to the female doctor in confusion, all the while the blond looked at Draylyn with speculation.

"No he wasn't, ma'am." She muttered as Dray's eyes widened.

"What do you mean he wasn't? He was just in there!" she whispered almost breathlessly, pushing past the medical team to run back through the ivory colored corridor, sprinting into his room. Her mouth dropped open as she entered the room.

The man, indeed, had vanished, leaving Draylyn to question her sanity.

* * *

Darcy ate her beef flavored ramen as Jane kissed Thor goodbye, the demi-god breaking the kiss swiftly and bidding her farewell as an agent shuttled him into a black trail blazer. Jane sighed as the automobile drove quickly away from the two standing idly in the doorway, disappearing after only a few moments. Darcy slurped loudly as she funneled the noodles into her mouth with her trusty chopsticks, rolling her eyes as Jane hugged herself.

"He's gonna be fine, Jane." She said, the food muffling her words to where they were almost incomprehensible. Jane dabbed at the tear that formed at the corner of her eye. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm totally missing Coulson. I know he jacked my iPod and all, but once he gave it back, he didn't really suck anymore. The new guy is, like, I don't know. Like a really bad LARP-er of Agent K from Men In Black, or something. I mean, I don't think that dude can even smile."

"He's worried about something, Darce. I'm worried that something bad is happening." Jane whispered, watching as the dust settled itself back onto the ground, ignoring her friends rant. She squeezed her forearm, resting her head on the door frame. Thor had arrived only to visit her from Asgard before going on a mission that S.H.I.E.L.D. said was immensely hush-hush. He hadn't even gotten the chance to find out the fate of his brother before he was forced to leave; it was that important.

"I'm sure it's nothing. But, well, then again, I said that the last time, and the world was almost taken over by aliens and ruled by Thor's evil step-brother." Darcy muttered absently, shoving the rest of the noodles down her throat. Jane looked at her disbelievingly.

"Way to boost the confidence." Jane replied, and Darcy smiled.

"Any time."

* * *

**_Loki peered into the endless galaxy, smiling all the while. Thor, who sat silently beside him, watched too, looking for that same enchanting sight his brother was enamored with. He gritted his teeth in frustration._**

**_"What in Valhalla are you looking at, brother?" he muttered scornfully. Loki's smile dropped, but his gaze never ripped away from the sight. Thor looked up again, waiting for his younger brother to reply. It was several minutes until he did so, the answer shocking the young god of thunder._**

**_"Have you ever felt entirely alone, though you're in a world flooded with people? And no matter how much you scream and fight, you simply don't matter?" his question was followed by silence. The god mischief and lies snickered. "No, of course you haven't."_**

**_"Loki, what is troubling you so to state a remark such as that?" Thor wondered worriedly. Loki's thumbs twiddled as his other digits were intertwined across his chest, the grass dancing around the two teens in the frosty, midnight scenery. Loki smiled again._**

**_"You wouldn't understand, brother."_**

Loki gasped as the pain in his chest ripped him from his stupor, making him cry out in pain. The exiled prince looked around hazily, batting his eyes to clear the fog that enveloped his gaze. After a few moments he was able to see the dark world around him, and groaned as the lights once again were turned on without his permission, blinding him once again. He heard the yip of the girl once again as the world was once again thrust into its shadowy hue.

"Y-your awake… That's good… You've been out for almost a week…" he saw the shadow move restlessly on the tiled floor, a faint hue of light crawling from the crack beneath the door to locate where in the room the girl stood. "The doctors are amazed at how fast you're healing. They said you should be released in a few days." She heard him growl when she uttered the word _'released'._

Several moments passed before she realized he wasn't going to respond. She sighed. "I was really worried about you…" she heard a scoff from the darkness. "We scoured the entire campus until we found you out cold on the roof. Where did you think you were going?" Once again the silence filled the room.

"I know it's kinda late for introductions and all, but… well… Hi. My name is Draylyn." No response. She rubbed the back of her neck nervously as she could feel the sense of tension rising in the air. "Um… Wh-what's yours?" She wasn't expecting a response, so when he did reply, it really confused her when it was dripping with malice.

"Must you live, you petty, dull creature?"

* * *

_I know this was short folks, but if you just hang in there with me, the next chapter will be longer._

_I LOVE YOU GUYS! 7 REVIEWS! WOOT!_

_Still, on this one, I'll just try rooting for 5 reviews again. Make my day (Again?)_

_~ILJA~_


	5. Getting Somewhere

**_Screams and the clashing of metal filled her every sense as she tried to look with blinded eyes, feeling the rocky terrain beneath her to somehow guide her to her unknown destination. She touched the cool sensation of metal and clutched it tight, whipping the projectile with all of her force with a feral scream as it came in contact with another being. With her crisp hearing she heard the existence tumble back in astonishment, followed by a hasty whirr of excitement and the creature uttering out a final cry before it waned below the mounting chaos around her._**

_**"Nathasha! A gun!" she bellowed and only moments later she felt the familiar triggers beneath her index fingers, her entire hand recoiling as she fired without hesitation, the satisfaction growing inside her as the yells of agony filled her ears.**_

_**When her head whipped to the side she felt her body tense, fear coursing through her as she bolted into her dark abyss of sight, the feeling of almost tripping in her haste thrown into the back of her mind as her heart beat increased drastically in horror. She felt her arm as it rose to fire her weapon, only to find all of the rounds spent, her body unraveling in fright. She had the strangest sense that she was running toward the danger and not away from it as the fighting atmosphere increased, her body blindly dodging any attacks that came her way. But then she stopped suddenly as her heartbeat stunted for what felt like the longest of moments before she began to scream, her entire being shaking so violently she thought she would collapse. A foreign name sprawled itself from her lips in abhorrent dismay.**_

_**"LOKI!"**_

"You know, I could fire you for sleeping on the job." That deep baritone ripped her from her dream, Draylyn exclaiming in fright as her heart thrummed uncontrollably in her chest, a thin sheet of sweat coveting her forehead from the nightmare she could not remember. She felt her tense muscles as the raw fear still coursed through her veins, her breath coming out in clipped breath that seemed unusually loud. She wiped ebony strands from her face as she arose from her bent position over the hardwood counter. Bradley chuckled, his lips mere inches from her ear.

"Aww. Were you dreaming about me again?" he whispered as she shuttered at the enjoyment in his voice, her eyes scanning everywhere except where the six foot man stood, which was far too close for comfort. She recoiled from his grasp as he made the sly movement to place a possessive arm around her waist, pushing away from him to scuttle to the return bin, finding several miscellaneous books in the compartment. She tensed as he grew near again, but to her satisfaction, did not make a move to touch her.

"So, there's this new restaurant in town called Marley's. I was wondering if-"

"Did you already check these in?" she cut off, knowing where the conversation would lead.

"Uh, no. But anyways, as I was saying-"

"No, Bradley." She whispered, picking up the small stack of literature. "I would not like to attend. I have friends in the hospital, remember?" Friend, she corrected herself mentally, tensing at the thought of the green eyed man. Bradley noticed as well for his blue eyes turned to slits, slicking his sandy blond locks from his face with an air of petulance.

"Yeah. I heard about it. Why didn't it get put in the paper or somethin'?" he muttered beneath his breath, Draylyn casting her shy gaze to the floor.

"I don't know."

There was silence between the two as she picked up the scanner, pointing the laser to the barcode of a book, getting a little _'ding'_ from the computer as it was logged back into the system. She could feel his eyes burn into her skull as she ignored him, continuing with her life as if he didn't exist. It infuriated, as well as attracted him, all the more.

"Come on, Collins. You never have any fun! Why don't you come tonight? Your friends will be fine, I mean, honestly. They're safe. They're in the hospital, locked up! What kind of mischief could they get into?" A vision of the raven haired man attacking a little nurse in his blue gown with his rubber oxygen tubes suddenly conjured in her mind and she knew not whether to laugh or to shutter.

"Yeah, I know. But I have to check on them either way. M-maybe some other time." Draylyn uttered anxiously, and just as Bradley was going to retort, a familiar man walked through the door, clad in his Sunday best. Dray sighed in relief as Carver Edlund passed over the threshold with a smile, the creases on his aged face deepening.

"Well good afternoon Ms. Collins, Mr. Austin." He greeted with a tiny bow of his head, straightening his tie. He patted at an unruly silver curl that sprang from his jelled hair with defiance, giving up after a few futile attempts to tame the strand. "I heard of the incident, Ms. Collins. How are you faring? It must have been terrifying, knowing that a life was in your hands. I heard from Qwen that he gave you all a scare, though, when he turned up missing." He shook his head. "Just don't understand how a fella like that could sustain an injury such as that and survive, let alone be healthy enough to be released."

"I know… I'm going to check up on them after work." Bradley had peeled off to occupy himself until he and Draylyn were once again alone, Edlund's eyes trailing him as he disappeared behind a bookshelf.

"Just between you and me, I never liked that kid. Too stuck up for his own good." The farmer muttered with annoyance and Dray giggled, knowing her father would have said the same thing. She sighed sadly.

"I guess. Now what can I do for you today Mr. Edlund?" Dray asked quietly, her elder turning his attention back to her. He leaned on his forearm upon the old wooden counter, bending over to grow closer to her. Draylyn did the same, putting her ear close to his lips.

"There was some creepy stuff going on in my field about the same night you found that fella on the road. Not sure what happened, but got this creepy… thing charred into my corn patch. I suspect it may be hooligans, but there was this weird light show that happened outside my window at the same time. I think I might have been visited… if you know what I mean."

Dray listened in wonder, a million thoughts tumbling her head.

* * *

He was left with nothing.

Without realizing at the time, he had used what little magic his fath-… Odin had cast him out with, wastefully using it to slowly repair his being. He wanted to curse and thrash, to kill the Allfather for exiling him on Midgard, for making him weak… for his lies. He spoke of love and compassion, but he would have gladly took the torment over this cursed existence, seeing it more fit to rot in the cells than to live out his life as a petty human.

Anger and hate mulled within him. He hated everything and everyone; Asgard and the patrons who lived there, The Warriors Three, Odin, even Frigga who had glanced to him with fear and loss before his mortal shell was thrown through the portal with its blinding colors, this mode of transporting through the realms much more painful than that of the Bifrost. Thor hadn't even arrived to witness his cast off, not that it mattered much to Loki, for he already set it in his mind that his once-brother was dead to him.

All of them were dead to him.

Odin had set him on the impossible task of learning compassion and love for the humans, uttering in his commanding voice that until he did so and made up for his crimes, on both Midgard and Asgard, he would remain in this weak form for the rest of his existence. He knew that this could not be done, and that is perhaps the reason in which he had done it. To rid himself of the nuisance that had plagued him for far too long, to throw away the pawn in which had backfired against him so horribly that he would deny any connection.

That gentle rap at the door pulled him from his thoughts, the idea forming within the quickest instant, a laugh crawling its way up his throat to plaster a feral grin upon his features.

Odin may have stripped him of his powers, but he had not taken his silver tongue and wit. His smile grew wider, knowing now that all hope was not lost, that he would regain his powers once again. The plan was simple; now all he needed was a human. As the ebony haired girl walked cautiously through the door, he knew then how to set the ball in motion.

Perhaps the mortals could be of use after all…

* * *

"So? The God of Mischief has been banished?"

"Y-yes sir… to Earth."

"Then why haven't you found him yet?" the voice was calm and hushed, but the alien knew his master well. This placid demeanor was only a façade of the darkness and impatience that brewed below the surface. The life form behind the chair trembled, struck paralyzed in his show of genuflection.

"W-we've lost him, my master. Tis his magic was a beacon. But now-"

"Did I ask for your excuse?" his leader snapped, gripping the armrest with such a force it began to crumble, sending the toady into a frantic state.

"W-we will find him, master!" He heard the dark rumble of laugher emanate from the throne as the dictator peered into space with a malicious grin. As the moments passed the creature grew more and more weary, his body weakened by his obeisance. But then his master's voice threatened in such a fashion that the bowing alien couldn't suppress the tremor of fear that ripped through his body.

"See to it that you will."

* * *

"How is he, Heimdall?"

"Spiteful, my queen, but as cunning as ever."

"What do you mean? Is he alright?"

"Physically, yes. Though I cannot account for his mind."

"Oh dear… what is he doing now?"

"Currently? He's gaining residence."

* * *

Banner tapped his knee with the edge of his pen nervously, watching as Fury paced quickly as Clint and Natasha took their seats, the swift, steady beat of his footfalls only adding to the mounting tension in the room. The flying ship's crew was dismissed from the meeting area, save for Agent Hill, who leant against the wall, her arms folded stiffly across her chest, watching her commander. Steve entered the room next, wearing a navy blue turtle-neck sweater despite how hot it was outside, striding to take a seat beside Natasha.

"What's with all the long faces?" Tony remarked as he strode into the area, the normal blue hue glowing dimly beneath his black Iron Maiden shirt. Rogers shook his head while Bruce rubbed the back of his neck, Clint and Natasha giving Stark a fleeting glance before rolling their eyes. Thor, who stood from the balcony above, said nothing. "Come on guys! We got the whole band back together!"

"Band?" Thor asked quizzically, getting a collective sigh from the group.

"Not band as in musical group, but b-" an agitated Nick Fury cut Hawkeye off midsentence.

"If you girls are done gossiping, I would like to get on with this." He muttered darkly, their attentions brought back to the one-eyed man. Tony took his seat next to Banner, who moved to the side to give Stark more room, the billionaire sitting beside the doctor with a huff.

"Now that you all are comfortable," Fury stated, clasping his hands behind his back, his pace slowing. "I know that Stark briefed you on your trip here, so I'll cut to the chase. Somethin' weird is goin' on, and as of now, we know nothing about it so we will treat it as a hostile force." Fury fished a small, chrome cube from his over-coat, the object dwarfed in the palm of his hand.

"These have been falling from the sky in every continent for the past four months." The Director placed the cube onto the center of the table, Thor jumping gracefully from his perch to get a closer examination of the object. His fall made a solid 'thud' as his feet reached the ground, walking behind Steve as the group leaned closer to the small box. "We've collected fourty, but we suspect that there are more out there yet to be discovered." All seemed curious except for Tony, who leaned back comfortably in his chair, a bored expression dominating his features. Natasha was the first to speak.

"Uh… this is what we were called in for, Director?" she asked, puzzled. Clint cocked his head in curiosity while Banner gently chewed on the end of his pen. Captain America looked to Fury while Thor swiped the dice-sized object from the table, a look of shock crossing his features.

"I had Stark run some tests on it, and-"

"It's alive." Thor murmured incredulously,

heads turning in his direction with disbelieving looks. Thor looked back, amazement in his eyes. "The heart beat - I feel it."

"Wait… You mean the silver die is **alive**?" Steve asked with an air of astonishment as the God of Thunder rested the cube back upon the table. Fury sighed.

"Well, nothing has been able to break the shell of this thing-"

"Challenge accepted."

"Shut up Stark."

"Oh… right in the feels, Natasha."

"Will both of you just shut up?" Fury's voice was strained and on the edge of falling into a full blown rage. The room once again fell silent as the pacing man continued. "As I was saying, nothing has been able to break this thing's shell, so we are not sure if what you feel is in fact a heart beat. Whenever you get this thing close to something electronic-"

"It jacks up your system. Phone, computer, iPod, it doesn't matter. One minute you're fine, the next your computer explodes and Jarvis is singing some kind of Whitney Houston song. It was horrible." Tony growled, a soft murmur enveloping the group.

"So what's our mission, sir?" Captain asked, befuddled. "I don't believe we were brought here only for this." Fury's good eye furrowed.

"Touch it, Captain, and see if you feel the same about it." Fury threatened dryly, Rogers confused by his dark tone. His eyes were plastered to the man who had stopped pacing, his hand teetering toward the small, shining object. When he made contact with the cube his right arm spasmed in pain, causing Captain America retract his touch as though he were electrocuted, his heart thrumming uncontrollably fast, his breath coming out in short clips.

"What the heck was that?" Barton snapped, watching as Steve paled when he no longer had feeling in his hand, the appendage laying useless in his lap. Fury's jaw grew taught.

"Imagine that to a human without the bells and whistles Steve here has. It drains a person's energy until there's nothing left and they pass out, only most of them don't wake up afterward." He looked around the table as Rogers continued to massage his numbed hand. "When they are small like this, you can deflect it with gloves or clothing." He held up his leather-clad hand to prove his point. "But we have found ones larger, and the larger they are… well, let's just say you don't want to get too cuddly with it."

"What about Thor? He touched it." Tony muttered sarcastically. Fury had done the same thing to Steve as he did to him, letting him feel the full effects. He couldn't feel his face for the next few hours after the confrontation, making the coffee he was trying to enjoy an impossible task to behold. He made a side note to return the favor in the future.

"I'm a demi-god, and therefore not a mortal, so it does not have the same effects on you as it would to me." Thor answered, and Tony face palmed.

"Yeah. I was being a smart a-"

"Thor, do you know what happened to your brother?" Fury asked, his question so out of the blue that many did a double take. Clint was the first to speak.

"Yeah. What ever happened to your batsh-… what ever happened to Loki?" he wanted to stream out a line of profanities, but by the look on Thor's face, he wouldn't have it. Thor's gaze was cast to the floor as the attention was him.

"I am uncertain." He uttered, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I was informed to return to Midgard before the punishment was dealt."

He glared at the floor as though he expected the metal ground to burn and bubble beneath his gaze, the Asgardian lost in thought.

"Did your father tell you if anyone was to follow you here?" Fury inquired and all looked to Nick with speculation.

"Is there something you're not telling us, Fury?" Banner asked calmly as his pen once again thrummed on his right knee, the man in question turning his head to look at the doctor with his good eye. He nodded.

"I wished to wait until you all were all gathered to tell you this." Agent Hill moved from her frozen stance to give Fury a thin manila folder. He opened it and placed it on the table, the manuscripts and photographs spilling from its contents. Thor, retracted from his ravine, looked over Tony's shoulder, his body stiffening as the picture glared back at him.

"We intercepted a call in the Wisconsin countryside of Mardrek that spoke of an anomaly that sounded a little familiar." His dark gaze drifted to Thor. "A funnel of energy and creepy swirling clouds. Ring a bell? This was also scorched into some sap's cornfield." He pointed to the colored photo that looked eerily similar to the sigils that was burned into the New Mexico desert.

* * *

She closed the door behind her soundlessly, holding onto the knob in shock while she stood in the passageway for countless moments. She didn't understand what had just happened, or if it had really just happened. With a small shake of her head she released the handle and proceeded to walk down the hall in her muddled state, trying to recount what had just gone down in logical order but coming up blank.

Draylyn pursed her lips, that numb feeling edging from her being as she realized she would have to explain to Natalie that the man who had attacked them was now going to be their new room mate.

* * *

_**Yaay! This story is finally getting somewhere!**_

_**Gotta give my props to IronBell for being my beta for this chapter. Thanks!**_

_**Abskbgdskbaska! I love you guys for the reviews! It made me so happy inside! XD I'd love to thank all of you have been reviewing, and I hope that you continue! And for those who haven't reviewed, I still thank you for reading, and hope you do leave a review. As they say, reviewers make the writers happy and all that mushy junk.**_

_**Please keep on reading and reviewing!**_

_**~ILJA~**_


	6. Authors Note: OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS

**_A/N_**

**All of these hiatus' guys... -_-**

**First off I must apologize for not updating in... months. It's not fair to all of you wondrous readers.**

**Two, I am open to suggestions because I am at a total wall with this story... I don't know how to continue without out people being ooc *Angry wail***

**I will be taking this down and will try to update. If not... back into hiatus this story will have to go.**

**So thank you all again for following, but I would truly love suggestions on how to continue on with this story.**

**Love you all,**

**~MTMC~**


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